Ferris wheel apparatus



Jan. 29, 1963 c. w. AHRENs 3,075,761

FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1961 i 2 ,f4/f 47 ,a Fig'. I /2/NVENTOR Arron/v5 V5 3,075,761 FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS Ciaude W. Ahrens,Box 275, Grinnellylowa Filed `Ian. 13, '1961, Ser. No. 82,467 3 Ciairns.(Ci. 272-33) This invention relates to amusements devices andparticularly to that type of device 'or apparatus commonly called aFerris wheel.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel Ferris wheelapparatus for use by a single individual wherein the individual canrotate himself within the apparatus in a vertical plane and through .acomplete circle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Ferris wheel apparatuscapable of the use described above which is economical of manufacture,effective and safe in use, and which is readily assembled anddisassembled.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention willbe readily understood upon reference to the following description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Ferris wheel appa ratus of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a detail of the apparatus,with certain parts broken away and others shown in section for purposesof clarity; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary View of another detail of theapparatus, with certain parts broken away and others shown in sectionfor clarity of invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a Ferris wheel type of amusement device isindicated generally at 1t) in FIG. 1 and comprises a support assembly 11for rotatably supporting a cage assembly 12 above the ground lever (notshown). The cage assembly 12 is constructed so that a single individualcan safely stand inside the cage and rotate himself completely through a360 circle, the rotation continuing until stopped by the individual orby an attendant for the apparatus r1t).

The support assembly 11 includes a pair oftriangularly shaped frames l13and 14 each of which is comprised of a tubular support 16 bent at themidpoint 17 and shaped as best illustrated in FIG. 1. The lower ends 18and 19 of the support 16 are joined by a base angle iron 21, and aresecured as by welding. A pair of short tubular stubs 22 and 23 are alsosecured by welding to the support lower ends 18 and 19, respectively,and are extended in the same direction in a parallel manner normal tothe base angle iron 21.

The frames 13 and 14 are mounted in spaced relation in an upstandingmanner with the base angle iron 21 of each at on the ground and with themidpoint 17 of each support 16 located so to speak at the upper apex ofthe triangle formed by each frame. To securely support the frames 13 and14, a pair of elongated connecting rods 24 and 26 (FIGS. l and 3) areprovided. The rods have a diameter slightly less than the insidediameter of the stubs 22 and 23 whereby they are telescopicallyinsertable at each end 27 (FIG. 3) into each stub. To provide foradjustably spacing the frames 13 and 14 from each other, each stub 22and 23 is provided with a pair of set screws 2S and 29 and nuts 31arranged for frictional engagement with the ends 27 of each connectingrod 24 and 26. Thus, each frame is lockingly engageable with common ends27 of the connecting rods 24 and 26 at relatively adjusted positions.

For rotatably mounting the cage assembly 12 on and between the frames 13and 14, each of the latter is provided with a bearing shaft unit 32(FIGS. 1 and 2) secured to the midpoint 17. The units 32 are extendedtoward each other in aligned relation and provide a sta- @rates patenttionary horizontal axis about which the cage assembly 12 rotates in avertical plane. Each bearing shaft unit 32 (FIG. 2) includes a shorttubular member 33 secured at one end to the midpoint 17 of the support16 and open at the other end 34. A roller bearing 36 is `inserted withavpair of washers 37 and 38 into the open end 34 and receives one end ofa shaft 39 the other end of which is secured to a bolting plate 41. Aspacer 42 is mounted on the shaft 39 between the plate 41 and the outerwasher 33.

The cage assembly 12 includes .a pair of rectangularly shaped frames 43(FIG. 1') and 44 of tubular -material connected together in alignedrelation by a pair of corner crossbars 46 and 47 at what shall bedesignated the top 48 of the cage assembly 12, and by another pair ofcorner crossbarsf? and S1 at what shall be designated the .bottom 52 ofthe cage assembly. The common sides 53 and 5d of the cage frames 43 and411 are also interconnected by a plurality of spaced side crossbars 56which serve as hand grips as will be seen hereinafter.

Each cage frame 43 and 44 is cross-bracedby a quartet of diagonal bars57, '53, 59 and 6%, the adjoining inner ends of which serve as a supportfor a bolting plate 61 having bolt holes therein adapted for alignmentwith bolt holes in the bolting plate 41 of each bearing shaft unit 32.At the top 418 and bottom 52 .of the cage assembly, a mesh-type covering62 is stretched between the 'respective corner crossbars 46, 47 and 49,51 and the ends 63 of the cage frames L23 and 44. The mesh covering 62at the bottom '52 of the cage assembly '12 is reinforced by a pair ofsupport bars 64 and S66 extended between and secured to the cornercrossbars 49 and 51.

In the disassembled state, the 'Ferris wheel apparatus 1I) comprises thesupport frames 13 and 1d each of which includes the stubs 22 and 23 anda bearing shaft unit '32 as integral therewith. 'It is noted that eachsupport frame also is provided with a mesh covering 67 (FIG. l)stretched between portions of the tubular support 16 and the base angleiron 21, and also between top and side mesh frame supports 68 and 69`mounted as illustrated. The connecting `rods 24 and 26 are separate,and the cage assembly 12 is completely integral in the form describedhereinbefore.

To assemble the apparatus 10, the stubs 22 and 23 of each support frame13 and 14 are loosely mounted on the ends 27 of the connecting rods 24and 26, and the cage assembly 12 is then hoisted into position so thatits bolting plates 61 are attachable by bolts 71 (FIG. l) to the boltingplates 41 of the bearing shaft units 32. The set screws 28 and 29,backed olf before the assembly, are then threaded down into frictionallocking engagement with the ends 27 of the connecting rods 24 and 26.The apparatus is then ready for use. The disassembly procedure is justthe opposite of that for assembly.

In use, an individual can enter the interior of the cage assembly 12 andstand preferably on the reinforced mesh covering 62 at the bottom S2.The individual assumes a stance facing either the front 'i2 (FIG. l) orthe rear 73 of the apparatus 1n so that he may readily grasp any one ofthe hand grip bars 56 on each side, depending on his height. The cageassembly 12 can then be rotated by maneuvering of the individual, or bythe action of an attendant outside the cage assembly. As a safetyfeature, although not shown, here, strap or socket devices can besecured to the inside of the bottom mesh covering 62 for securing thefeet of the user. It is to be appreciated that as the bottom meshcovering `62 is located radially from the bearing shaft units 32, thestationary axis of rotation for the cage assembly 12 and about which thelatter is perfectly balanced, by the individual user placing his feet onthe bottom covering so as to be able to shift his Weight back and forth,the cage assembly can be readily rocked back and forth until enoughleverage is obtained by the individual to cause the Ycage assembly torotate completely about its axis of rotation.

For construction purposes, the apparatus l@ has preferred dimensionswherein the length or" the base angle irons 2l is approximately ten feetand the length of the connecting rods 24 and 26 is approximately fourand onehalf feet. The bolting plates 4i are spaced not quite four andone-half feet from the base angle irons 2. The height or length of thecage frames 43 and 4s is a little over seven and one-half feet, andtheir width about four feet. The spacing between the cage frames, asdetermined by the length of the corner and side crossbars, is not quitethree feet, and the cage bolting plates 61 are ocated exactly in thecenter of each cage frame 43 and ad.

Both the tubular supports 16 and the connecting rods 24 and 25 are twoinch round steel pipes, While the material for the cage frames d3 and 44is one and one-half inch, sixteen gauge galvanized tubing. The cornercrossbars 46, 47 and 49, S1, the diagonal bars 57-6, and the bottomsupport bars 54 and 66 are also one and one-halt inch, sixteen gaugegalvanized tubing, While the side crossbars 56 are one inch, fourteengauge galvanized tubing. Although not shown, tour elongated edgingstrips are utilized to secure the mesh coverings 52 to the four endportions 63 of the cage frames 43 and 44. Both mesh coverings 62 and a7are expanded metal ofthirteen gauge thickness. All tubular and angleiron structure for the apparatus lil is welded at all the connections,except where specified otherwise hereinbeore.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been describedherein, it is to be remembered that various modications and alternateconstructions can be made thereto Without departing from the scope ofthc invention as defined in the appended claims,

I claim:

l. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support meansincluding a pair 'of triangulariy shaped frames aligned in upstandingspaced positions with one ieg of each frame flat on the ground, a stubtube secured to each end of said one leg of each frame and extendedtoward the opposite frame, a'pairlof elongated connector rods each ofwhich is telescopically inserted into each opposed pair of stub tubesfor connecting said frames in spaced relation, shaft means rotatablymounted on each frame at the upper apex thereof in opposed relation, and

cage means including a pair of aligned rectangular trarne means each ofwhich is vertically disposed adjacent to a respective frame and mountedon said corresponding shaft means, a pair of Wall means connectingopposed ends of said frame means on either wall means of which anindividual can stand, and hand grip means extended intermediate saidwall means and between the opposed sides of said frame means and adaptedto be grasped by the individual.

2. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support meansincluding a pair of frames, means connecting said frames in spaced,horizontally aligned positions, a pair of opposed, horizontally alignedshaft units mounted on said frames and each of which includes arotatable first mounting plate, cage means including a pair of frameunits, crossbar means connecting said frame units and adapted to begripped by the hand, a pair of meslrlike covering means extended acrossand secured to both ends of said frame units and one of which isreinforced by brace means secured -to said frame units, and diagonal barmeans secured lto each frame unit and including a second mounting platesecured to said tirst mounting plate, whereby an individual can standwithin said cage means on said rein forced covering means and grip saidcrossbar means.

3. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support meansincluding a pair of upstanding, spaced interconnected frame sections,cage means of an open,

. y rectangular box shape including front, back, end, and side sectionsof a generally planar character, disposed between said spaced framesections for free rotation in a vertical plane, each of said endsections of the cage constituting occupant platform means, each saidfront and back section comprising a plurality of hand hold meansextending transversely of the cage in spaced relationship to each other,said side sections comprising cross-bracing means between the front andback sections of the cage, spaced aligned bearing members secured toeach cross-bracing means on the exterior side of a side section andextending outwardly therefrom, and aligned bearing means secured to eachframe section to receive the bearing members in rotating supportrelationship to thereby support the cage in a substantially balancedcondition in any angular position in the vertical plane and in spacedrelationship to the ground.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 924,495Germany Mar. 3, 1955

1. A FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS COMPRISING, GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORT MEANSINCLUDING A PAIR OF TRIANGULARLY SHAPED FRAMES ALIGNED IN UPSTANDINGSPACED POSITIONS WITH ONE LEG OF EACH FRAME FLAT ON THE GROUND, A STUBTUBE SECURED TO EACH END OF SAID ONE LEG OF EACH FRAME AND EXTENDEDTOWARD THE OPPOSITE FRAME, A PAIR OF ELONGATED CONNECTOR RODS EACH OFWHICH IS TELESCOPICALLY INSERTED INTO EACH OPPOSED PAIR OF STUB TUBESFOR CONNECTING SAID FRAMES IN SPACED RELATION, SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON EACH FRAME AT THE UPPER APEX THEREOF IN OPPOSED RELATION, AND